Indie darling and talented songstress Hannah Cohen released her highly anticipated new album Earthstar Mountain on March 28 via Bella Union / Congrats Records. The album marks her return to full-length records after five years, a time she spent hiking the Catskills after moving there in 2018. Each song is a love letter to nature and the possible alternate versions of herself. Collaborators like Sufjan Stevens, Clairo, Liam Kazar, Oliver Hill, and Sean Mullins helped bring out an added layer of softness and authenticity to each song.
The first seconds of the opening track "Dusty" feature a fluttering flute and soothing drums. Cohen's breathy vocals effortlessly float above the instrumental as she explores themes of self-discovery. Lyrics like "No way of escaping time...The wasted times" and "I hear somebody say, be as lonely as you wanna be" acknowledge the fact that one must embrace change and make an effort to find fulfillment in one's life. Sweet strings serenade the listener and usher them into an album equally as dreamy.
Standout track and single "Draggin'" is an upbeat anthem that will inspire you to weed out all the energy-drainers in your life. It achieves the type of groove only someone who's freed themselves from the negativity of others could deliver. Lyrics like "You're the common cause of your own pain / But you leave that part out, you rearrange" call out people stuck in a self-fulfilling negative feedback loop.
Striking sonic elements like the sparkling instrumentation on "Earthstar" and the siren song of non-lexical vocables in the interlude "Una Spiaggia" hypnotize the listener. The indie folk superstar has a knack for crafting emotionally resonant tracks with a modern edge, pulling inspiration for harmonies and melodies from the likes of Fleetwood Mac on tracks like "Mountain." Cohen approaches music creation with genuine curiosity, which enables her to analyze unassuming items in songs like "Rag" and "Shoe" in a way that sparks profound conversations about the passing of time and the interconnectedness of all things.
The album closer "Dog Years" is perhaps dedicated to her rescue dog Jan, with whom she hikes the woods every day. It is an apt closer for an album inspired by their daily treks through the mountains. She ponders life's 'what ifs,' feeling bogged down by the endless possibilities. Lyrics like "I want them both / The gate could get stuck it won't fully close" explore decision paralysis. "When it's too good feels like a simulation, you know? / The rug could get pulled out," examines how difficult it can be to appreciate joy and happiness in the moment. Cohen seeks a shared understanding and reassurance that others share her thoughts by posing it as a question. The idea that it's "Better to measure it in dog years" perhaps reduces the weight of decisions if one can create more time from thin air by splitting one year into seven.
"I've always wanted a certain life, but then I also want another kind of life," Cohen shared in a press release. "They both hover over me all the time." Cohen embraces the inevitability of change and acknowledges that making no decision is a decision in itself. The 8-part 1882 lithograph on the album cover is a testament to the concept that the beauty is in the journey, whichever one that may be.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
4/11/25 - Assembly - Kingston, NY
4/15/25 - Union Pool - Brooklyn, NY
4/16/25 - Union Pool - Brooklyn, NY
7/24 - Tree House Brewing Company (w/ Jeff Tweedy) - Deerfield, MA
7/25 - 7/27 - Newport Folk Festival - Newport, RI
7/29/25 - Zebulon - Los Angeles, CA
7/31/25 - 8/3/25 - Pickathon - Happy Valley, OR
Get tickets here
Follow Hannah Cohen: Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube
